Alice sat at the table, holding a piece of clay. Clay splatters decorated the ceiling, floors, and walls. A slight hrrr emerged from the miniature dragon perched on Alice's shoulder and she showed it what she was making. Her bright orange hair was pulled into a haphazard ponytail and her emerald green eyes shone brilliantly as she focused intently on the clay in her hands. The small, deep green dragon on her shoulder gave a little puff of appreciative smoke as she examined what Alice was holding.
The clay was forming another dragon with similar features: flat feet, oval eyes, and large flared nostrils. It was perched on something that looked like a sketch pad and had a pencil resting just over it's ear. The facial expression of the dragon was distinctly feminine, while it's scales curled slightly. It's wings were half raised, as though they were cupping the wind, and had delicate bones that supported thin leathery-skin.
Another hrrr came from the dragon, one that sounded a little confused, and the girl turned.
"Really, Galea?" Alice asked, confused. It gave an affirmative nod. "Well, I guess she does look a little bit like Zookie. Should we tell mom?" The little dragon waved her tail, gesturing upstairs to where Alice's mother was. Galea waved her tail again, just to stress the importance of the motion, making Alice giggle softly. A stern glance from her dragon made her giggling come to an abrupt stop.
After a pause for consideration, the dragon hrrred impatiently and flapped her little wings. "Ok, ok, I'm going." Alice said, rolling her eyes. She gently lifted the clay dragon up and ran up the stairs. "Mom? Mom! MOM!" She yelled as she seemingly flew up them. "Mom! Galea wants me to show you the dragon I made-oh!"
"Calm down, honey," Lucy Pennykettle said, taking a step back as her daughter practically ran into her. "What is it?"
Galea tapped the clay dragon and Lucy gasped. "It's- it looks like Gadzooks!" she exclaimed, lifting the dragon from her daughter's outstretched hands. "Oh, Zookie..." A sad glisten appeared in Lucy's eyes at the thought of the writing dragon she had made for her old tenant but disappeared just as quickly as she examined the newly made dragon.
Nothing happened for a minute, and then a cat stalked down the stairs. "Can we kiln her? Please? Please? Please?" Alice pleaded, ignoring the cat. It morphed into a lynx, blinked, and then morphed into a black panther. Bonnington gave a hopeful mew, which received no answer. He fixed his huge, orange eyes on Alice and tried to sit on her lap. Alice deftly pushed him off and he resolved to simply watch her like an owl.
"Sure. Galea, why don't you tell Guinevere and Gawain that a dragon needs to be kilned?" Lucy asked, and Galea nodded. She fluttered up the stairs and out of sight. Moments later, a faint hrrr could be heard throughout the house.
Lucy smiled. "Come on, let's bring her to the Dragon's Den." Alex bounced happily, clapping her hands.
"Really? Oh, thank you!" Alice said enthusiastically, and Lucy smiled.
With those words, the mother and daughter went up the stairs. Alice ran ahead excitedly while Lucy took her time. Bonnington made sure to wrap himself around Alice's legs as she reached for the doorknob to the Dragon's Den.
"No, Bonnington, stay out," Alice chided just as her mother reached the door. Lucy opened the door and let Alice go inside before going in herself and closing it behind her, effectively keeping the cat out. "Hey guys," Alice said happily as it closed, addressing the dragons that had gathered just inside the door. A joyful hrrr resounded throughout the house as the kilning process of a new Pennykettle dragon began.